Golf practice apparatus



D. PARA GOLF PRACTICE APPARATU S Feb. 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNqv. 1955 Fig./

Dante Para v INVENTOR.

Feb. 25, 1958 D. PARA 2,824,450

GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS Filfld NOV. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4 I

Dante Para INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,824,450 Patented Feb. 25, 1958 Myinvention relates to improvements in golf practice apparatus of the typein which a rotatable spinner to be struck by a golf club is operativelyconnected to a rotary indicator for indicating theoretical distances agolf ball would have traveled under the force of the strike against thespinner, the spinner being manually settable into starting position.

The primary object of my invention is to provide in such apparatus forresetting of the indicator to zero starting position independently ofresetting of the spinner so that the indicator may be accurately resetnotwithstanding inaccurate resetting of the spinner.

Another object is to provide in such apparatus for the player standingat a level when striking the spinner corresponding to that at which he,or she, would strike a golf ball on a golf couse.

Still another object is to provide apparatus for the above purposeswhich is simple in construction, durable and comparatively inexpensiveto manufacture and use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my invention in a preferredembodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view partly in horizontal section andpartly in plan;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section taken onthe line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on the line 77 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section taken onthe line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the spinner designated generallyby the numeral 1 comprises a horizontal shaft 3 journaled at its ends inanti-friction bearings 4, 5 in front and rear upstanding end flanges 7,9 on a base panel 11, and a spinner head member 13 on the shaft 3adjacent the frontflange 4. The spinner head member 13 comprises a pairof resilient balls 15 for striking by a golf club and which are fixed bynuts 17 and washers 19 on reduced outer ends 21 of a pair of arms 23extending from diametrically opposite sides of a bushing 25 fixed by aset screw 27 on said shaft 3.

A hood 29 straddles the rear flange 9 and the sides of the base panelwith a front wall 31 vertically slotted as at 33, and straddling theshaft 3 and forms with the flange 5 and base panel 11 a closed housingin the rear of the spinner head member 13 for drive means, presentlydescribed, operatively connecting the shaft 3 to an indicator drum 35.

The indicator drum 35 is freely rotatable in the upper front portion ofthe hood 29 on a drum carrying cross shaft 37 in said hood havingreduced ends 39 journaled 'in bearings 41 on the sides 42 of said hood.The indicator drum 35 projects forwardly through a sight opening 43 inan upwardly and rearwardly slanting front portion 45- of the hood 29.

As is conventional the indicator drum 35 is graduated and numbered fromzero, as at 47, 49 to display through the sight opening 43 membersrepresenting theoretical distances a golf ball would have traveled whenstruck blows of different force.

The before-mentioned drive means comprises a worm 51 fast on the shaft 3meshing with a subjacent worm wheel 53 fast on a cross shaft 55journaled in bearings 57 on the base panel 11. A gear wheel 59 fast onthe cross shaft 55, and smaller in diameter than the worm wheel 53,meshes with a relatively larger diameter gear Wheel 61 fast on anothercross shaft 62 journaled in bearings 63 on the base panel 11. The gearwheel 61 meshes with another gear Wheel 65, smaller in diameter than thefirst gear wheel 55, and which is fast on the drum carrying shaft 37 andprovided with a clutch disk 66 having side ratchet teeth 67 engagingratchet teeth 69 on one side of the drum 35. A helical tension spring 71on the shaft 37 bearing against the other side of the drum 35 andagainst a collar 73 on said shaft 37 yieldingly urges the drum 35 towardthe clutch disk 66 to maintain the teeth 67, 69 engaged.

A rectangular platform 75 is provided for the golfer to stand in forstriking the uppermost ball 15 when the spinner head member 13 is invertical position. The: platform 75 is of box type for strength andlightness: and is of a height to support a golfer at the usual level?relative to a golf ball on a tee. A resilient pad 77 is; provided on theplatform 75 to prevent a golfer from slipping. A pair of slide rods 79slidable horizontally in sockets 81 in the front end of the base panel11 provide for adjustment of the platform 75 toward or from the spinnerhead member and for said platform resting on the ground. A set screw 83in the panel 11 engageable with one of the rods 79 locks the platform inadjusted position. By loosening the set screw 83 the platform 75 may bedetached from the panel 11.

The operation of the described apparatus will be readily understood. Thespinner is set into starting position by rotating the spinner headmember 13 by hand until said member 13 is substantially vertical. Theindicator drum 35 is then rotated by hand to register zero at the sightopening 43 by rotating said drum in a direction such that the ratchetteeth 69 thereon will ratchet over the ratchet teeth 67 on he clutchdisk 65. The uppermost ball 15 is then struck by the golfer standing onthe platform 75. As the spinner 1 rotates under the force of the blowthe indicator drum is rotated to indicate the distance a golf ball wouldhave traveled under the force of the blow struck by the golf club.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur 'to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed. v

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a base panel, a housing on said panel having a frontsight opening, a rotatably mounted first shaft extending into saidhousing and forwardly of said housing, a spinner head fast on said shaftin front of and outside said housing adapted to be' struck by'a golfclub to impart rotation to said shaft, a second shaft in said housing, adrum in said housing freely rotatable and slidable laterally on saidsecond shaft and extending out of said opening for manualrotation-andslidingthereof, said drum having peripheral numbers'thereonto-intlicate upon rotation of the drum from a starting: position thedistance a golf ball would have traveled under blows struck against saidspinner head, means in said housing operatively connecting said firstshaft to the second shaft, clutch devices on said second shaft and drumdisengaged by manual sliding of said drum in one direction, and springmeans on the second shaft opposite said drum slid ing the same in anopposite direction to engage said devices, said drum being manuallyrotatable when said devices are disengaged to provide for manualrotation of the drum into starting position.

2 The combination of claim 1, including a platform in: front-ofsaidspinner head for supporting a golfer and horizontal rods slidablymounted in said panel for adjustment toward and from said spinner headand carrying said platform for adjustment therewith toward and from saidspinner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,529,933 Stokoe Mar. 17, 1925 1,634,896 Cogswell July 5, 1927 1,889,332Jones Nov. 29, 1932 2,275,568 Smith Mar. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS442,241 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1936

